Defence ministry doubles financial aid to veterans without pension
The announcement made in the run-up to Diwali will cost the government ₹257 crore every year and is expected to benefit around 20,000 people
NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday approved the doubling of financial assistance provided to non-pensioner ex-servicemen (ESM) and their families, with the welfare measure to cost the government ₹257 crore every year, the defence ministry.
The announcement made in the run-up to Diwali is expected to benefit around 20,000 people, officials aware of the matter said.
Non-pensioner ESM refers to those soldiers who are discharged from service early in their life due to organisational constraints or their own request, the officials said. This category includes officers who take premature retirement before 20 years of service and personnel below officer rank who leave the organisation in less than 15 years.
Singh has approved a 100% increase in financial assistance for such ESM and their dependents under schemes implemented by the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare through Kendriya Sainik Board, an official statement said, giving details of the welfare measures.
“Penury grant has been doubled from ₹4,000 to ₹8,000 per month per beneficiary, providing sustained lifetime support to aged and non-pensioner ESM and their widows above 65 years of age with no regular income,” it said.
Education grant has been doubled too. It will now be ₹2,000 per month per head for up to two dependent children (Class I to graduation) or widows pursuing a two-year postgraduate course.
Likewise, the marriage grant has been raised from ₹50,000 to ₹1,00,000 per beneficiary. It will be applicable for up to two daughters of an ESM and for widow remarriage --- for marriages solemnised after issuance of the new order.
“The revised rates take effect for applications submitted from November 01, 2025 onwards, with an annual financial implication of approximately ₹257 crore to be met from the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund (AFFDF). These schemes are funded through the Raksha Mantri Ex-Servicemen Welfare Fund, which is a subset of the AFFDF,” the statement said.
The decision, it added, strengthens the social security net for non-pensioner ESM, widows, and dependents from lower income groups, reaffirming the government’s commitment to honouring the service and sacrifice of the veterans.
